Shopping 101
Beginner's Luck: Part Four
By Jessica Brandon, B.S. (Bachelorette of Spending)
Part One | Part Two | Part Three | Part Four | Part Five | Part Six
Hello, darlings! Welcome one and all to my favorite time of the year,
summer! Even though we had a pretty mild winter, when July rolls around,
you just can't help but feel that all is right with the world. Unless of
course you don't have air conditioning, then life's not so great when
you're sweating like a pig all day long. In the meantime, let's get the
show on the road as I resume my feature on shopping for beginners.
In
this, the fourth segment, we wrap up the accessory talk with jewelry.
First and foremost, earrings. If you’re a wuss like me and can’t stand
whatever pain that's associated with having your ears pierced, go with
the clip-on variety. Major department stores and accessory shops carry a
surprising large selection of clip-ons, but gold or gold plate is an
ideal kind to own as it has a timeless appeal. If you’re going out and
about in public, stick with small, round, button type earrings, save the
long, ornate or dangly stuff for TG meetings or parties. Real women don’t
wear gaudy stuff on any regular basis, and neither should you. Own at
least a good dozen pairs of varying sizes.
Neck chains are always in
fashion, again, go with gold or gold plate which is best. Chain lengths
can run anywhere from 16 to 24 inches, depending on one’s personal
preference. Places like accessory shops and shopping mall kiosks offer
chains by the inch. You can choose anything from a delicate, thin link to
a half inch wide herringbone in whatever length you choose. Don’t forget
to add faux pearls, bangles, ankle chains and pins to adorn your dress or
blazer. For really fancy events or parties, invest in rhinestones
necklaces, earrings, pins and bracelets to really jazz up an outfit. Why,
you can even buy rhinestone clips to put on your shoes so you can sparkle
from head to toe.
Hosiery
Here's what you'll find on a typical hosiery sizing
chart: A-B (heights from 4'11" to 5'7", weights from 95 to 140 pounds),
C-D (5'4" to 6'0", 120 to 165 lbs.) and E-F (4'11" to 5'7", 145 to 190
lbs.). Sizes may vary depending on the manufacturer, but this will give
you an idea as to just what you'll need. Using myself as an example, I
wear size C-D, but more for my height (6'2") than my weight, which, as of
this writing is around 195. However, this particular size wears very well
on me.
As for colors, start with off-black which can be worn practically
all year 'round, then add neutral colors, fleshtones and off-white, but
only between May and September. How much hosiery to own depends upon how
often you dress, I keep at least a dozen pairs on hand at all times, you
may want more, or less, that's up to you. And always be sure to wash your
hosiery after each wearing, companies like Hanes sells hosiery wash for
just that purpose, and it works like a dream.
Next up are cosmetics.
When I first started experimenting with cosmetics, I ended up with some
pretty bizarre results. No doubt you remember my having mentioned in an
article and past column about having waltzed into a five and dime, bought
the very first bottle of foundation I saw on the shelf, rushed home, put
it on and panicked because I used makeup for Caucasian skin which, as you
well know, I don't have. My ignorance led to a then humorously freakish
experience.
Makeup can be the hardest thing for a beginner to shop for
since the colors and choices are practically legion. Foundation alone can
come in as many as two dozen different shades to cover (pardon the pun)
virtually every possible skin tone, from pale to dark and everything
inbetween. And if you make the wrong choice as I did, the end result can
make you look like a clown. Speaking of that, I won't even go into detail
about how I once fell in love with electric blue eyeshadow. Talk about
horrific!
Before you shop for any sort of cosmetics, it's important to
decide beforehand just what sort of look you want to cultivate. If your
goal is to go out in public, it's crucial to look as natural as possible
so you don't stick out amongst the masses like a cheap hooker on Western Avenue.
The key to all of this is foundation, that's the critical first
step of the entire process. Foundation is what you'll use to even out
your skin tone and prepare the canvas (your face) for the colors you'll
add later. Well, kids, that’s all for now. In Part Five, I'll resume the
talk on cosmetics then move on to personal style, then the pros and cons
of image consultants. As always, my mailbox is open for your comments,
tips and opinions at . Until next month, shop not
just with your heart, but with your head!
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